#STLBlues on the brink of elimination

Ryan Ellis and James Neal scored in the third period to give the Nashville Predators a 2-1 win over the Blues in Game 4 of the Western Conference Second Round at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday. The Predators lead the best-of-7 series 3-1 and have won eight in a row at home in the Stanley Cup Playoffs dating back to last year. The Blues must win three straight to advance to the conference final for the second year in a row.

Ellis continues to kill the Blues. He scored on the power play to put the Predators ahead 1-0 at 5:09. Following a Filip Forsberg shot, Ellis got the puck past goalie Jake Allen after a scramble for his fourth goal. Ellis has a seven-game point streak, including a goal in three straight games against the Blues.

Neal scored unassisted to give the Predators a 2-0 lead at 13:03 on a wrist shot from above the right faceoff circle.

Blues Defenseman Joel Edmundson made it 2-1 at 16:11 on a slap shot from the left circle. Pekka Rinne made 32 saves, and Allen had 23.